Western Digital gets into home networking with My Net routers

When you hear the name Western Digital, you probably think of hard drives, and rightly so. Well not so fast, Western Digital has just announced a line of wireless routers that claim to offer the best HD streaming and backup experience on the market. The early word from PC Mag is that Western Digital has hit a homerun with the My Net routers.

There is a router for every usage scenario in WD’s new lineup. The entry-level My Net N600 is a dual-band 802.11n capable of up to 600Mbps combined bandwidth. There is also a USB port, five ethernet ports, and it uses packet prioritization — called FasTrack by WD — to keep video streams smooth. The N750 ups things with gigabit ethernet, an extra USB port, and slightly faster data rates. The N600 will be $$79.99 at retail, and the N750 will go for $119.99.

The next step up is the N900, which is more for the enthusiast set. This device can manage 900Mbps with its dual antennas, gigabit ethernet, two USB slots, and FasTrack Plus to prioritize packets for gaming and video streaming. Take the N900, add in built-in storage, and you’ve got the N900 Central. This router has either 1 or 2TB of storage for automatic backups, and it works with Apple’s Time Capsule. The N900 will cost a more hefty $179.99, but the N900 Central jumps up to $299 for 1TB and $349.99 for 2TB.

Western Digital will no doubt use these new routers to push its storage and streaming products. Users will be able to remotely access their network attached storage via the WD mobile apps and the Western Digital website. The devices should be hitting some stores today, with the exception of the Central models, which will be available soon.